Product Description

User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
Taz
a Casual Listener

Date Reviewed: May 16, 2013

Bottom Line:

Neighbor insisted I needed to buy these. He threw in a Lafayette stereo master control center.
Did not know what I was getting into. Took the 2 mc30's and the Lafayette to a McIntosh repair shop and had them all gone through. Total investment $2,000. Set them aside until I got a pair of Klipsch KHorns. Never have hooked them up to any other speakers. Best sound I'd heard in that room, and I've had more than a few. The whole setup is a keeper. Love to set in the dark and just let the music flow for hours. I still look, but don't but buy much anymore.

Mcintosh MC 30 mono blocks. Ihave just brecievied a gift of two mc30 to add to mc mcintosh system,mr78,c32,mc2125,mq101, pair xr5. i installed a three way speaker switch so i could switch back and forth, whoo what a difference i see why peolple what tub amp. these amps were used appros untill 69 and whent to a mcintosh clinic then put in storage in mac boxes. in 1999 they were sent to audio classics, iwas told they inly change a tube and returned, boxes were never opened untill know, perfect cond. 4 amp tubes are labled mcintosh GE two rectifier tubes i bought nos from audio classics both labled mcintosn GE all eight of the other tubes are telafunken. these amps look new and i think the tubes can not be replaced. i intend to sell these after i enjoy them for a shorth time. should i replace the tubes with newer ones to presurve the old to increase the value. any body know how much these are worth. thanks

As I said in my McIntosh MC250 review here, the MC250 is merely an transitional amp, an vintage McIntosh SS amp that sounds so good that you'd like to make the jump into the true McIntosh tube sound that is so famous.

So I made the dive. And it's very very rough. And I could say the MC30 is an KEEPER!

*****

I got my pair in an average shape in Audiogon. But it will get really really bad until it gets better. The fuse holders are broken, I could hear background noises, the RCA input is rusty and dirty, the tube socketes are loose, etc.

But I am not the crazy kind to do an revamp. I have been told that you're better off getting an MC30 with all original parts because any replacement part may affect its sound (that will explain why many buyers demand pictures of inside).

I simply replace the RCA jacks with WBT, replaced some loose/wore-out wires, re-wire the grounding, replaced the aged power resistors, removed 2 resistors that appear to be previous owner's own mod, and replaced the power cords and the fuse holders. And the amps really shine after that! I think I spent like $60 and 12 hours to do everything.

Paired with the VTL 2.5 tube preamp and the Coincident Partial Eclipse Mk I, the sound is fully bodied, sweet and rich, and could play very very very loud in my room (26 x 22 x 8). Unlike many tube amps I used before, the MC30 gives great bass - not as nice as some of the better SS amps I owned before (ML #23 for example) of course but already betters than most tube amps I have.

The soundstage is actually better than I expected. It makes a major difference when I switch from Monarchy Model 33 preamp to the VTL 2.5 preamp.

It simply makes me to keep thinking of sitting down to listen (if I am not doing that already). After all is said and done, the music simply comes thru.

Just make sure your soldering skill is good to go. During the WBT replacement, I mistakenly knocked an wire loose (bad original soldering). I was not that educated then, and AudioClaXXicX quoted me $250-$350 (shipping not included) to fix when I told them all tubes light up but no sound.

With all due respect, this is EXCESSIVE regardless of how good a job AudioClaXXicX may do! I spent about 30 min to read the schematics carefully and trace all the wirings, and I saw the loose wire, and I fixed it in 30 sec using some quality silver connecting wire.

Well, I said this because I know a few people who got them from eBay and got ripped off. The sellers told the buyers the amp worked fine but they did not. With vintage amps like MC30 (which it's last year of manufacture is 1962, still many years before I was even born!), casual audiophiles may simply get discouraged and give up and either send them to AudioClaXXicX for their premium $$$$$$$ work or sell them cheap in eBay suffering major loss (or pass the scam along and scam the next unsuspecting buyer stating "as-is")

So if you happen to be the unfortunate one who got an lemon, the local authorized Mc service center will do a great job at 1/2 the price AudioClaXXicX would charge. Just IMHO it makes better sense.

In my listening room's merry-go-round, this pair of MC30 will certainly stay much much longer than everything else.

Great vintage amp. Must be tubed with quality tubes such as telefunken, rca black plate. If you can find RCA 1614 output tubes purchase them at any price.The sound is as good as you will find with any compatiable amp at this price.